AGENDA DATE: 10/7/2020
TITLE: Albemarle Broadband Authority Quarterly Report
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Albemarle Broadband Authority Quarterly Report
ITEM TYPE: Consent Information Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Henry, Culp, Fritz
PRESENTER (S): Mike Culp, Bucky Walsh
LEGAL REVIEW: Not Required
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey Richardson
BACKGROUND: The Albemarle Broadband Authority (ABBA) was incorporated on August 21, 2017. This report is being provided as information on ABBA's work July through September 2020.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Infrastructure Investment: Prioritize, plan and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs. Educational Opportunities: Provide lifelong learning opportunities for all our citizens. Quality Government Operations: Ensure County government's ability to provide high quality service that achieves community priorities.
DISCUSSION: ABBA has held eight public meetings and one closed session meeting in 2020. The ABBA agendas and meeting minutes are posted for public review on the County's website.
Beginning in April and through to August 17, 2020, ABBA worked to engage Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in efforts to partner and apply for Virginia Telecommunication Initiative (VATI) Grant funds. ABBA decided to partner with CenturyLink and submitted an application requesting $3.2mil in VATI funds to support a fiber to the home project which if approved will offer fiber internet service to 2,322 living units.
ABBA participated in selecting Shentel for another project, which when active, will offer fixed wireless internet service to at least 550 locations in rural, unserved locations.
ABBA is managing a VATI 2020 project with CenturyLink which will offer fiber broadband service options to 837 locations in the County. CenturyLink and ABBA continue to answer questions about the 8 projects involved and to be completed no later than March 5, 2021.
Durin...
Click here for full text